A person who contaminated sweets with sedative and provided them to minors at a summer program in Leicestershire has pleaded guilty to sexual offenses against two boys who were nine and 10.
Jon Ruben was arrested after eight youngsters and one adult became sick at Stathern Lodge in July.
The senior citizen, from the Nottinghamshire area, confessed to a series of 17 offences when he was present at Leicester Crown Court on recently.
However, he disputed a single sexual charge he was facing, which was concerning a nine-year-old boy.
Ruben was kept in jail before a further hearing on 28 November.
'Candy game'
The prosecutor, prosecuting, detailed Ruben's offending to the legal proceedings.
She explained his victims were under-privileged children who were staying at a youth camp which he operated.
Ruben conducted a "sweet game" with the youngsters, the prosecutor explained, in which he would enter the children's bedrooms when they were getting ready for bed and tell them to consume candy "as fast as possible".
She informed the proceedings the man had played this game with the young males "over an extended period", and youngsters had earlier experienced illness the next day.
She explained Ruben had been successful in rationalizing this over a long period as the children being "overexcited from fun", until his stepson had concerns in July 2025.
The legal representative added: "In the summer" his family member had suspicions about the situation, with valid cause.
"They decided to investigate in the man's possessions."
The legal counsel said materials including lubricant, Vaseline and medical needles were located, and his stepson notified the police about his worries.
She stated the defendant went on to play the "candy game" with six youngsters that evening - Saturday 26 July - and they were all ill the subsequent day.
"The police had not arrived by that point," she stated further.
The police watchdog, the police conduct office, had stated that it was examining law enforcement's management of the incident.
Mrs Prior said the children were unable to walk properly due to their sickness, so the stepson notified the law enforcement again.
She said the man then conducted the "sweet game" in a room of five children.
